Scottish Executive

Access for Disabled People

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many holders of parking blue badges there are, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: As at 31 March 2004, the number of Blue Badge Holders as per each local authority region is as follows,

  

Council
Total


Aberdeenshire
10,011


Angus
5,005


Argyll and Bute
3,701


Clackmannanshire
2,219


Dumfries and Galloway
8,041


Dundee City
6,327


East Ayrshire
6,892


East Dunbartonshire
4,330


East Lothian 
3,751


East Renfrewshire
1,257


Edinburgh, City of
16,057


Eilean Siar
261


Falkirk
7,166


Fife
17,832


Glasgow, City of
23,243


Highland 
10,143


Inverclyde
3,817


Midlothian
3,912


Moray
3,631


North Ayrshire
10,602


North Lanarkshire
15,524


Orkney Islands
848


Perth And Kinross
6,344


Renfrewshire
6,420


Scottish Borders
5,221


Shetland Islands
621


South Ayrshire
5,217


South Lanarkshire
13,694


Stirling
3,908


West Dunbartonshire
2,974


West Lothian
7,192


Total
223,995

Ambulance Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many days air ambulances at Tingwall Airport, Shetland, were unable to fly as a result of poor weather conditions in each of the last four years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Service does not retain records on the number of occasions aircraft were unable to fly due to the weather. However, when contracted aircraft are restricted due to severe weather conditions the ambulance service will call upon the services of the Coastguard or the Ministry of Defence.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 have been diagnosed with autism in each NHS board area and, of these, how many have a record of needs.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 who have been diagnosed with autism are currently being assessed for a record of needs, broken down by NHS board area.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 who have been diagnosed with autism do not have, and are not being assessed for, a record of needs, broken down by NHS board area.

Rhona Brankin: The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Information about the number of children identified as diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders in each NHS board area is set out in table 1A.

  The number of pupils in publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools with Records of Needs and/or Individualised Educational Programmes is collected by local authority area. This information is contained in the Scottish Executive's Statistical Bulletin which can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00350-00.asp. This includes the main difficulty in learning of pupils with a record of needs and/or Individualised Educational Programme. Information is not collected centrally on (a) the number of pupils who do not have a Record of Needs and (b) those being assessed or not being assessed for one.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families with a child diagnosed with autism are currently receiving respite care, broken down by local authority area and, of these, what average number of hours of care such families receive.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential respite places are available in each local authority area for children under 16 with autism.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families with a child under 16 do not receive the agreed level of respite care, broken down by local authority area.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally.

  The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Information about the range of services provided can be found at questions 23 -24 on pages 52-60.

  Aggregate statistics are collected from each local authority on the number of children receiving respite care. Details collected are the age and gender of those receiving care and the setting this care takes place in – see link for exact detail:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/IAC/00016135/CLASform.xls.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places in residential accommodation are available in each local authority area for people over 16 who have autism.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children under 16 and (b) adults who have been diagnosed with autism are living in residential accommodation.

Rhona Brankin: Local authorities provide services based on assessed individual need and not necessarily on availability of residential accommodation.

  The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Information about children and adults cared for in the community and in residential settings can be found at questions 26 and 27 on pages 63-67.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has put in place to monitor the level of respite and educational support provided by local authorities and NHS boards to families with a child under 16 who has been diagnosed with autism.

Rhona Brankin: Education authorities have a duty, under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, to secure adequate and efficient provision of school education for children and young people belonging to their area and this includes provision for special educational needs. School education is progressive education appropriate to the requirements of pupils, regard being had to the age, ability and aptitude of the pupils.

  As part of the normal process of inspection, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) consider the adequacy of provision for special educational needs, including that for autism. In addition, the Scottish Executive has commissioned HMIE to conduct a specific inspection of educational provision for autism across Scotland. This will take place over 2005-06 with some preliminary work starting later this year. It is a matter for the professional judgement of HMIE to determine how they conduct inspections. Further information on current procedures is available at:

  www.hmie.gov.uk.

  Aggregate statistics are collected from each local authority on the number of children receiving respite care. Details collected are the age and gender of those receiving care and the setting this care takes place in – see link for exact detail:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/IAC/00016135/CLASform.xls.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what further arrangements it will put in place to monitor the level of respite and educational support provided by local authorities and NHS boards to families with a child under 16 who has been diagnosed with autism.

Rhona Brankin: In 2005-06, the Scottish Executive is piloting a new set of statistics on looked after children (including those receiving respite care) with the aim of introducing these statistics fully in 2006-07. This survey will collect (from each local authority) anonymised statistics for each looked after child and each episode of care they receive. It will record type of disability, from which to quantify the numbers of children with autism who are receiving respite care. When the full detail of what will be collected is agreed, this will be published on the Scottish Executive website.

  I also refer the member to S2W-11641 answered 8 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wasearch.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to research any gap between the provision and the need for respite and educational support provided by local authorities and NHS boards to families with a child under 16 who has been diagnosed with autism.

Rhona Brankin: There are no current proposals for Scottish Executive-led or funded research on these issues.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children diagnosed with autism it estimates will reach the age of 16 in each of the next 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Rhona Brankin: The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Table 1A of the report sets out known age related information for children and young people diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders in each NHS board area.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people there are in each local authority over 16 who have been diagnosed with autism.

Rhona Brankin: The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Information about the number of people identified as diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders in each NHS board area is set out in tables 1A and 6A.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of residential places for adults with autism.

Rhona Brankin: The provision of residential accommodation for people with autistic spectrum disorders is a matter for local authorities, and is one of a range of services which may be provided. The Autism Spectrum Disorder Reference Group, set up to take forward the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report , made community based services for adults its first priority and is moving on to consideration of residential services.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children under 16 and (b) adults over 16 who have been diagnosed with autism are currently placed in residential accommodation outwith Scotland by local authorities or NHS boards.

Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to S2W-11638, on 8 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Information about children and adults with autistic spectrum disorders whose needs cannot be met locally is set out at question 27, on pages 66-67. Further information can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf.

Autism

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual average cost is of placing a child with autism in residential accommodation in Scotland.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual average cost is of placing an adult with autism in residential accommodation in Scotland.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual average cost is of placing an adult with autism in residential accommodation outwith Scotland.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual average cost is to (a) a local authority and (b) an NHS board of supporting a child under 16 who has been diagnosed with autism in the family home.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual average cost is of placing a child with autism in residential accommodation outwith Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: Information about the average cost of supporting children or adults with autistic spectrum disorders in residential or other settings is not available. The first national audit of services for people with autistic spectrum disorders in 2003 identified existing service provision, gaps and provided a basis for future planning. The statistical report of the audit findings can be found at http://sh45inta/Resource/Doc/1095/0001881.pdf. Responses to question 36, on pages 88-89, give known estimates of expenditure in relation to young people in transition to adult services.

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence, (b) mortality and (c) survival rate of patients with cancer is, broken down by deprivation category.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is shown in the following tables.

  (a): World Age-Standardised Rate1 (WASR) for Cancer Incidence2 for All Ages, by Deprivation Quintile: 2001

  

Deprivation Quintile
Number of Cases
WASR


1 (least deprived)
4,593
254.5


2
4,736
258.1


3
5,219
272.2


4
5,201
281.8


5 (most deprived)
5,476
303.8


Scotland5
25,225
274.0



  (b): World Age Standardised Rate (WASR) for Cancer Mortality3 for All Ages, by Deprivation Quintile: 2003

  

Deprivation Quintile
Number of Deaths
WASR


1 (least deprived)
2,586
120.1


2
2,784
130.8


3
3,082
143.7


4
3,054
144.2


5 (most deprived)
3,508
174.6


Scotland5
15,014
142.7



  (c) One and Five Year Relative Survival4 by Deprivation Quintile, ages 15 to 99, Patients Diagnosed in 1997 - 2001

  

Deprivation Quintile
Number of Cases in Analysis
Survival (%) at 1 Year
Survival (%) at 5 Years


1 (least deprived)
21,900
68.0
49.1


2
22,048
63.0
43.8


3
22,693
61.4
42.1


4
23,229
58.8
37.4


5 (most deprived)
25,275
55.1
35.5


Scotland
115,145
61.1
41.8



  Notes:

  1. The World age standardise rate (WASR) is the sum of age-specific rates per 100,000 weighted by the World Standard Population.

  2. Incidence rates are provided for 2001, the most recent year for which cancer registration is considered complete.

  3. Mortality rates are provided for 2003, the most recent year for which death information from General Register Office (Scotland) is available.

  4. Survival estimates are provided for cancer patients diagnosed between 1997 and 2001, at one and five years after diagnosis. While 1998 is the most recent year of diagnosis for which five-year follow-up is complete, patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2001 were followed up to 2003 and their survival experience is included in the analysis.

  5. The differences in the totals in tables (a) and (b) from those presented in parliamentary question. S2W-11029 are due to missing values. Deprivation category is derived from post-code of residence–for a very small proportion of cancer registration the post-code is not available and therefore the dep. cat. is not known. For a smaller number of registrations the health board of residence is also not known.

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the world age-standardised rate for cancer (a) incidence, (b) mortality and (c) survival is, broken down by NHS board area and not by gender.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested in shown in the following tables.

  (a): World Age-Standardised Rate1 (WASR) for Cancer Incidence2, for All Ages, by Health Board of Residence: 2001

  

NHS Board Area of Residence
Number of Cases
WASR


Argyll and Clyde
2,258
295.9


Ayrshire and Arran
1,910
273.2


Borders
597
273.1


Dumfries and Galloway
756
236.1


Fife
1,679
264.5


Forth Valley
1,390
282.0


Grampian
2,460
272.3


Greater Glasgow
4,553
304.3


Highland
1,071
270.9


Lanarkshire
2,413
264.2


Lothian
3,877
298.0


Orkney
87
236.9


Shetland
100
268.8


Tayside
2,035
272.1


Western Isles
160
285.3


Scotland5
25,348
281.1



  (b): World Age Standardised Rate (WASR) for Cancer Mortality3 for All Ages, by Health Board of Residence: 2003

  

NHS Board Area of Residence
Number of Deaths
WASR


Argyll and Clyde
1,282
150.0


Ayrshire and Arran
1,126
140.3


Borders
352
125.2


Dumfries and Galloway
535
144.3


Fife
1,008
137.4


Forth Valley
864
151.4


Grampian
1,367
127.6


Greater Glasgow
2,837
171.3


Highland
642
141.7


Lanarkshire
1,524
148.0


Lothian
2,097
136.8


Orkney
45
103.3


Shetland
57
133.2


Tayside
1,226
136.6


Western Isles
101
171.8


Scotland5
15,063
144.8



  (c) One-Year and Five-Year Relative Survival4, by NHS Board Area of Residence, Ages 15 to 99, Patients Diagnosed in 1997 and 2001.

  

NHS Board Area of Residence
Number of Cases in Analysis
Survival Estimate (%) at 1 Year
Survival Estimate (%) at 5 Years


Argyll and Clyde
9,978
61.0
43.3


Ayrshire and Arran
8,638
61.4
44.0


Borders
2,647
63.6
45.2


Dumfries and Galloway
3,571
62.0
44.8


Fife
7,647
62.3
43.2


Forth Valley
5,955
63.6
44.3


Grampian
11,037
65.6
46.2


Greater Glasgow
20,707
58.1
39.9


Highland
4,942
65.7
46.7


Lanarkshire
11,361
60.4
41.8


Lothian
16,688
63.1
45.9


Tayside
9,251
62.2
42.3


Scotland 
113,955
61.8
43.5



  Notes:

  1. WASR: age-standardised rate per 100 000 person-years at risk (World standard population).

  2. Incidence rates are provided for 2001, the most recent year for which cancer registration is considered complete.

  3. Mortality rates are provided for 2003, the most recent year for which death information from General Register Office (Scotland) is available.

  4. Survival estimates are provided for cancer patients diagnosed between 1997 and 2001, at one year and five years after diagnosis. While 1998 is the most recent year of diagnosis for which five-year follow-up is complete, patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2001 were followed up to 2003 and their survival experience is included in the analysis.

  5. The differences in the totals in tables (a) and (b) from those presented inparliamentary question S2W-11028 are due to missing values. Deprivation category is derived from post-code of residence–for a very small proportion of cancer registration the post-code is not available and therefore the dep. cat. is not known. For a smaller number of registrations the health board of residence is also not known.

Children with Disabilities

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a child to be assessed for a new wheelchair, or other similar mobility aid or piece of equipment, broken down by NHS board area.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a child between assessment for a new wheelchair, or other similar mobility aid or piece of equipment, and provision of the equipment, broken down by NHS board area.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average spend is per child on the provision of a wheelchair, or other similar mobility aid or piece of equipment, broken down by NHS board area.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally but some or all may be available from individual NHS boards.

  The Rehabilitation Technology Information Service (ReTIS), which is being developed by NHS boards, should be able to provide this type of information when it is fully developed.

Community Wardens

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend funding for community wardens beyond spring 2006.

Cathy Jamieson: A further £66 million in Executive funding for action to tackle anti-social behaviour for the period to March 2008 was announced in the Spending Review 2004. The allocation of these funds will be decided and announced shortly: but where local authorities and their Community Planning partners identify warden schemes as key priorities in their antisocial behaviour strategies, the Executive will certainly consider providing financial support for them.

Culture

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the archive of Richard Demarco is retained complete in Scotland and is available for public inspection.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: It is open to the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS), which already own a significant part of the archive, to consider purchasing the remainder if that were necessary to ensure its retention. Work continues to be done on cataloguing both that part of the archive owned by NGS and on the photographic part of the archive which remains the property of Professor Demarco.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is in each NHS board area for access to drug misuse treatment programmes.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally. Average waiting times are not regarded as a particularly effective measure of the availability and efficiency of drugs services.

  Our national initiative to improve the collection and monitoring of waiting times for drug services in Scotland will, therefore, provide the Executive and Drug Action Teams with details of the number of people who wait for less than one week, less than two weeks, and so on, for up to four different treatment and support interventions.

  The national waiting times information framework for drugs services began in April 2004. The first information output will be available by the end of November 2004.

Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase or improve the level of teaching of Scottish history (a) in schools and (b) generally.

Peter Peacock: There are no specific plans to increase or improve the level of teaching of Scottish history (a) in schools or (b) generally.

  On 1 November, I announced a programme of work which aims to create a single, coherent, Scottish curriculum 3-18. The intention is to ensure that young people achieve the broad outcomes we look for from school education, both through subject teaching and more cross-subject activity.

Emergency Planning

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the funding allocated to the fire service in each year since 1999 has been earmarked for enhancing the fire service’s response to the threat of global terrorism and, if so, what that level of funding has been.

Hugh Henry: Expenditure approval was given by Scottish ministers in February 2002 to provide £5 million funding for additional resources to provide the fire service in Scotland with an enhanced operational capacity and a greater level of resilience in response to terrorist incidents. In addition, the Scottish Executive’s spending proposals for 2005–08, announced on 29 September 2004, include a further £1 million per annum in 2006-07 and 2007-08 specifically to assist the service in responding to the increased threat from global terrorism.

Energy Efficiency

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many measures it has introduced since May 1999 which have the objective of increasing energy efficiency.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has introduced six major initiatives since 1999 which improve energy efficiency covering both the domestic and business sectors.

  Central Heating Programme: provides free central heating, insulation, advice and other benefits to householders in the private and social rented sector.

  Warm Deal: provides home insulation grants to low-income households and pensioners.

  Scottish Projects Fund: supports specific projects which address domestic energy efficiency issues, for example, in the private rented sector which are unique to, or particularly important in Scotland, or which have a Scottish dimension.

  Regional Business Manager Network: provides locally based access and support to business and the public sectors on resource efficiency issues.

  Loan Action Scotland: provides interest-free loans to Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to fund capital investments which improve their energy efficiency.

  Public Sector Energy Efficiency Initiative: a fund available to all Scottish local authorities, health boards and Scottish Water to implement capital investment and other measures which will reduce their carbon emissions and improve their efficiency.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive has supported a number of smaller projects such as the Federation of Small Businesses toolkit. It also fully supports UK programmes, for example, by directly funding the Carbon Trust’s Energy Efficiency Programme in Scotland. It also takes full advantage of existing UK funding schemes including the Community Energy Programme which supports the introduction of district and community heating schemes.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what events, arranged as part of the United Kingdom’s EU presidency in 2005, are scheduled to take place in Scotland, differentiating between events that are finalised and those that are provisional, and what percentage this represents of all such events taking place within the UK.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information was submitted to the European and External Relations Committee and discussed at their meeting on 26 October 2004. (See the Official Report at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/europe/papers-04/eup04-17.pdf.

  Given that no definitive list of all such events taking place within the UK is currently available, it is not possible to provide a percentage figure.

Ferry Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned an independent legal opinion on whether it is necessary, in light of the European Court of Justice Altmark ruling, to tender the lifeline ferry services run by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has significant legal advice at its disposal. On the basis of that advice, and following consideration of the opinion of the European Commission, it is clear that there continues to be a requirement on the Executive to tender these services.

Ferry Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote enhanced service levels for lifeline ferry services, in line with its policies on social inclusion and the promotion of public transport, if it accepts the lowest cost bid for services currently run by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is committed to the maintenance of affordable air and sea links to Scotland’s islands and remote communities. Tendering will protect the lifeline ferry services in the Clyde and Hebrides by ensuring that they are in line with EC rules and thereby allowing subsidy to continue. The guidance provided by the European Commission in relation to the tendering of Public Service Contracts (PSCs) for ferry services requires that the tender is awarded (except in exceptional and duly justified circumstances) to the bid requiring the lowest financial compensation. However, whilst lowest financial compensation is a key criteria, the services provided must also be of sufficient quality to meet the requirements of the PSC.

  The tender and contractual requirements will ensure that bidders, and the eventual operator, must meet the requirements of a very detailed service specification for the ferry services.

  There have been a number of service enhancements in recent years and the Executive intends to build on the success of the current provision. Bidders for the services will be encouraged to consider the scope for innovation and improvement in services. Further, it is not intended that the services and timetables will be set in stone during the contract period. During this time there will be the opportunity for changes to be approved, provided that the operator has agreed these with the local communities concerned through the consultative mechanism and that the financial consequences are acceptable to the Scottish Executive.

Ferry Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will purchase new tonnage and port facilities and how it will plan for sufficient long-term investment if Caledonian MacBrayne or any other ferry operator plans service levels for only five-year periods.

Nicol Stephen: As set out in the reply to parliamentary question S1W-27085 answered on 27 June 2002 and in the 2002 consultation paper Proposals for Tendering Clyde & Hebrides Lifeline Ferry Services it is intended that a publicly owned company (VesCo) will be established which will own the CalMac fleet and CalMac’s piers and harbours. This approach will ensure efficient use of the existing fleet, offer service reliability and guarantee the long-term availability of vessels and harbour facilities.

  VesCo will also have a role in strategic planning. This will include vessel procurement to meet service delivery needs and the capital investment programme for its piers and harbours.

  You may wish to note that the European Commission published, in December 2003 and January 2004, revised guidance on the interpretation of the Maritime Cabotage Regulation. The guidance now provides that public service contracts may be placed for six years.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fire Service

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the transitional funding for fire service modernisation, announced on 28 September 2004, can be used in order to prevent the loss of 32 auxiliary units in the Highlands and Islands earmarked for possible closure and whether this is a matter for Highlands and Islands Fire Board.

Hugh Henry: The funding announced on 28 September 2004 is to assist Highland and Islands Fire Board with local fire station improvements and the upgrading of staff from volunteer to retained firefighter status. The provision of emergency fire cover, including the 32 units in question, is a matter for the board.

Forestry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to Forestry Commission Scotland’s development of a community purchase scheme, whether forest land will be valued on the basis of its use as forest and, if not, whether valuing the land on some other basis can be justified given its current use as forest.

Lewis Macdonald: I have asked Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to prepare a draft community purchase scheme in respect of the national forest estate. Once this has been completed, FCS will undertake a public consultation exercise about the details of the scheme and the methodology for valuing national forest estate land will be part of this consultation.

Forestry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made, other than by Forestry Commission Scotland or those working for it or instructed on its behalf, of the areas of land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland which are suitable for development for housing and, if not, whether such an assessment will now be carried out.

Lewis Macdonald: As the Executive’s Forestry Department, Forestry Commission Scotland has been working with Communities Scotland, Registered Social Landlords, some local authorities and local housing trusts to identify sites within the national forest estate that may be suitable for affordable housing.

Fuel Poverty

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its long-term strategy is to address fuel poverty.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is given in The Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement published by the Scottish Executive in 2002, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 23335).

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the age-standardised death rate was per 100,000 head of population for homicide and intentional injury for people (a) aged 0 to 64, (b) aged 65 or over and (c) of all ages in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is available in the annual statistical bulletin on homicide a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30081).

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients at the State Hospital, Carstairs, are waiting for a placement in a medium secure unit.

Rhona Brankin: At the end of August, there were 230 patients from Scotland and Northern Ireland being cared for at the State Hospital, 42 of whom had been assessed by State Hospital clinicians as being ready for transfer. For 10 out of the 42 clinical agreement had been reached with the prospective receiving clinicians that these patients were suitable for transfer to a medium secure unit.

  Based on two needs assessments that have been carried out over the last five years, it is expected that the numbers of patients at the State Hospital will reduce over time, with around 100 patients being cared for in other levels of security, including medium secure units.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive where the proposed medium secure units will be located and how many places will be available in each unit.

Rhona Brankin: The Orchard Clinic was opened on the Royal Edinburgh Hospital campus in 2001 and has 50 beds. Planning permission has been granted for a 76 bed unit at the Stobhill Hospital site in Glasgow. On 23 March 2004, the four West of Scotland NHS Boards (with the exception of NHS Greater Glasgow) agreed to locate a 36 bed West of Scotland Medium Secure Unit at Dykebar Hospital near Paisley.

  Discussions about the size and location of a medium secure unit for patients in the north of Scotland are continuing, following agreement among the NHS boards concerned that such a unit is needed. Some facilities are already available at Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen and at Murray Royal Hospital, Perth.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons it has learned from the Better Health Better Healthcare conference held in Dumfries on 24 September 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is always interested to learn from the experiences of other countries and share best practice. We welcome the work undertaken by Dumfries and Galloway Health Board detailed in the Better Health Better Healthcare conference report. I understand that the parallel sessions at the conference identified a number of opportunities which Dumfries and Galloway Health Board will use to produce an action plan.

  The Executive policy is to require NHS boards to establish their own service redesign mechanisms and to make resources available. In 2003-04, and again in 2004-05, £783,000 in change and innovation funding was made available to Dumfries and Galloway.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new health policy it will pursue following the change in ministerial personnel.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2F-1131, answered on 7 October 2004, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search .

Health

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards provide lymphoedema clinics for patients and which do not.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS boards.

Health

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what further action it will take to promote the uptake of direct payments and how such action will be monitored.

Rhona Brankin: The intention is to extend direct payments to include older people aged 65 and over from 2005. The introduction will be accompanied by new guidance and regulations, with consideration being given to using performance indicators to monitor implementation.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) should be recorded on a death certificate in circumstances where it is a contributory factor in a person's death.

Mr Andy Kerr: The medical certificate of cause of death completed by doctors in Scotland conforms to World Health (WHO) recommendations. In Part I of the form doctors record up to four causes covering the sequence of conditions that led to death. Other significant conditions contributing to the death, but not related to the disease or conditions causing it, may be recorded in Part II of the form. It is a matter for the doctor’s clinical judgement what conditions should be recorded.

  The General Register Officer for Scotland (GROS) codes causes of death recorded by the certifying doctor following the Tenth Revision of WHO’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases ad Related Health Problems (ICD10). Currently there is no specific code for MRSA, though there are codes for less specific staphylococcus infections, including staphylococcus aureus. WHO has approved the use of more detailed optional codes to identify antibiotic resistance. These new codes will be introduced from January 2006 and will be used by GROS.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether visitors to hospitals are given any advice on guidelines to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Mr Andy Kerr: All NHS boards provide information for patients, however, the provision of advice to visitors would be a matter for individual NHS boards. The Chief Medical Officer recently issued five top tips for the public on how to help bring Healthcare Associated Infection under control.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the socio-economic breakdown was of persons convicted of drug offences leading to (a) a non-custodial disposal, (b) imprisonment for a term of under four years and (c) imprisonment for a term of four years or over in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: Socio-economic information on convicted persons is not collected centrally.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many curfews have been issued since their inception for children aged up to (a) 11 and (b) 15 years.

Hugh Henry: It is assumed that the question relates to "local child curfew schemes" of the kind which are provided for under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, initially for under those under 10 years and then subsequently by amendment to those under 15. These provisions do not apply to Scotland and there is no separate statutory provision for local child curfew schemes in Scotland.

  In 1997 Strathclyde Police in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council introduced a child safety initiative within Hamilton. This was not a curfew and was developed out of community concerns relating to the safety of young children out unsupervised on the streets at night. The initiative has now been incorporated within the overall community policing strategy for the area. Whilst the Scottish Executive supported the principles underpinning the initiative, it is an operational matter for the individual Chief Constable in association with the local authority to determine whether such measures provide the means to address issues of particular concern in their areas. Information is not held centrally on the use of such initiatives by police forces.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether procedures for accused persons representing themselves are adequate.

Cathy Jamieson: We are satisfied as to the adequacy of summary and solemn trial procedures as contained in the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 both for accused persons representing themselves and for those who engage a solicitor.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to courts regarding the provision of information on basic court procedures in cases where accused persons are representing themselves.

Cathy Jamieson: Guidance for judges and sheriffs when dealing with cases where the accused is representing himself is contained in Chapter 12 of the Equal Treatment Bench Book issued to the judiciary by the Judicial Studies Committee and in appropriate Appeal Court judgements.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners sentenced to more than four years imprisonment have applied for (a) parole, (b) release on licence, having served half or less of the original term of imprisonment, in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: Information on the number of prisoners who were eligible for and have been granted release on parole licence is contained in the annual reports of the Parole Board for Scotland which are published and placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. A prisoner may not be released on parole licence until he has served at least half his original term of imprisonment.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the statement in The Herald on 23 September 2004 that there may be a loophole in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 that allows landowners to stop crofters gaining royalties from mineral developments and prevent crofting communities from taking estate land under control as a local amenity or for economic development and what action it will take as a result.

Lewis Macdonald: I will consider whether further legislative action is required, in the context of the forthcoming Crofting Reform Bill, if it becomes clear that some landowners are frustrating the purpose of part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how clinicians calculate the correct medicine and dosage for children with mental health problems when the drugs prescribed have been tested on adults only.

Mr Andy Kerr: In coming to a decision about the use of a medicine not specifically licensed for children, clinicians will take into account guidance from various sources including "Medicines for Children", a UK paediatric formulary produced jointly by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group. The British National Formulary (BNF) also contains information about dose calculation and advises that children’s doses may be calculated from adult doses by using age, body-weight or body-surface, or by a combination of these factors. The BNF can be accessed at www.bnf.org

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which psychiatric drugs are currently being prescribed for children under the age of 18 that have not been licensed for this age group.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not available centrally. Prescription data collected centrally are not patient-specific but relate to the number and cost of prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.

Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether adequate placements will be available in medium secure units to comply with the requirements of the transitional implementation of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: NHS boards and their local authority partners have already provided new forensic psychiatric facilities and services for East Scotland and plans are advancing for further new provision across Scotland in accordance with the established policy set out in NHS Management Executive Letter (1999)5, (Bib. number 12317) and NHS Health Department Letter (2001)9, (Bib. number 12345).

  The forecast demands arising from the new rights of appeal from May 2006 will be taken into account by the planning partners, informed by the 2004 National Assessment of Mental Health Services (Bib. numbers 30221-30234 and 30236).

  It also remains open for NHS boards to commission forensic psychiatric care and accommodation from other providers.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 7 September 2004 regarding prescription charges for cancer patients.

Mr Andy Kerr: I replied on 27 October 2004.

NHS Hospitals

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about cleaning standards at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Mr Andy Kerr: Audit Scotland’s report on hospital cleaning (published in January 2003) provided an assessment of the cleanliness of wards and public areas in the individual hospitals reviewed including Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

  The Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow has made it clear to Sodexho that he expects nothing other than the highest standards of compliance with their contract. NHS Greater Glasgow is monitoring the situation closely.

NHS Hospitals

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Sodexho contract at Glasgow Royal Infirmary is being monitored appropriately.

Mr Andy Kerr: The monitoring arrangements between NHS organisations and contract providers is a matter for individual NHS organisations.

  The Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow has made it clear to Sodexho that he expects nothing other than the highest standards of compliance with their contract. NHS Greater Glasgow is monitoring the situation closely.

NHS Hospitals

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that the number of staff delivering cleaning contracts by private contractors at NHS hospitals is adequate.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that hospital cleaning in Scotland, whether undertaken by NHS staff or by cleaning contractors is adequate. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has issued standards on Cleaning Services for Scotland. The Chief Medical Officer’s Task Force on Healthcare Associated Infection published a National Cleaning Services Specification in May of this year. Boards are required to implement and follow the Standards and Specification.

NHS Hospitals

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Health & Safety Executive improvement notices have been served on private cleaning facilities contractors holding contracts for NHS hospitals in each of the last five years, including any such notices served in respect of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Health & Safety Executive has advised that private cleaning facilities contractors would be the responsibility of the Environmental Health Department of the appropriate local authority. We are unaware of any such notices served in respect of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

  Health & Safety Executive Improvement Notices were served on South Glasgow University Hospitals Trust following the outbreak of salmonella at the Victoria Infirmary in December 2001.

  Health & Safety Executive Improvement Notices are available on the HSE Public Register of Enforcement Notices website at http://www.hse-databases.co.uk/notices/.

NHS Services

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist facilities are available to provide long-term care for people with complex care needs in Lothian.

Rhona Brankin: Specialist facilities to provide long-term care for people with complex care needs in Lothian are a matter for the agencies concerned - NHS Lothian where NHS provision is concerned, and the local authorities where community care is concerned.

NHS Services

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what services will be removed from St John’s Hospital in Livingston and located elsewhere if Improving Care, Investing in Change 2004 is implemented.

Mr Andy Kerr: These are matters for NHS Lothian in the first instance. If, following the public consultation, which is due to end on 19 November, the board proposes to make major service changes, these will require my prior approval.

NHS Services

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the removal of orthopaedic trauma and emergency general surgery from St John’s Hospital in Livingston will have on intensive care and high dependency units in the hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: I understand from the NHS board that St John’s Hospital will continue to have intensive care and high dependency facilities. The board is considering how many beds will be required in these units in future.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) doctors, (b) consultant doctors, (c) nurses, (d) allied health professionals, (e) scientific and professional staff, (f) technical staff, (g) administrative and clerical staff and (h) ancillary staff entered employment in the NHS in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) doctors, (b) consultant doctors, (c) nurses, (d) allied health professionals, (e) scientific and professional staff, (f) technical staff, (g) administrative and clerical staff and (h) ancillary staff ceased to be employed in the NHS in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The question requires a considerable level of detail in the answer. I will write to the member separately and a copy of the correspondence (Bib. number 34203) will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre in due course.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) clinical nurse specialist posts and (b) nurse consultant posts there were in each year since 1999, broken down by (i) NHS board area and (ii) speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on clinical nurse specialists employed in NHSScotland was collected for the first time at 30 September 2003. This pilot collection provided a baseline establishment figure of 1177 WTE Clinical Nurse Specialists as at 30 September 2003. Information on staff in post by NHS Board and clinical area of work is published in the Report from Pilot Data Collection report. Due to the small number of vacancies this information is not presented by NHS board and specialty. This report is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Information on Clinical Nurse Specialists will now be collected annually at 30 September.

  The Number of Nurse Consultants Posts are Shown in the Following Table.

  

Title/ Posts
NHS Board/ Division
When Established


Midwife Consultant - 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow
2001


NC - Services for Older People - 1 WTE
NHS Forth Valley 
2001 


NC-Public Health - 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2001


NC Epidemology – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2001


NC Paediatric Pain Management – 1 WTE
Yorkhill
2002


NC Perinatal Mental Illness – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2002


NC Acute Receiving - 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2002


NC Cancer Care – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow
2002


NC Public Health – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2002


NC Family Planning & Sexual Health – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2002


NC People with Mental Health Difficulties – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2002


NC Services for Older People -= 1 WTE
NHS Highland 
2002


NC Forensic Rehabilitation Resettlement – 1 WTE
State Hospital 
2002


MC managed/midwife led care – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2003


NC Health Protection – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2003


NC Infection Control – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2003


NC Learning Disabilities - 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2003


NC Macmillan Cancer Nurse Consultant - 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2003


NC Child Health – 1 WTE
NHS Borders
2003


NC Infection Control – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2003


NC Cancer/Palliative Care – 1 WTE
NHS Argyll & Clyde
2004


NC Learning Disabilities – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2004


NC Public Health – 1 WTE
Western Isles
2004


NC Epidemiology – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2004


NC Child protection – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside
2004


NC Learning Disabilities – 1 WTE
NHS Highland 
2004


Total (26 WTE)
26 Posts



  Notes:

  (SCIEH – Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health.).

  (NC – Nurse Consultant).

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) clinical nurse specialists and (b) nurse consultants there were in each year since 1999, broken down by (i) NHS board area and (ii) speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on clinical nurse specialists employed in NHSScotland was collected for the first time at 30 September 2003. This pilot collection provides a baseline for the number of staff in post. At 30 September 2003 there were 1,148.7 whole-time equivalent Clinical Nurse Specialists in post. Information on staff in post by NHS board and clinical area of work is published in the Report from Pilot Data Collection report. This report is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Information on Clinical Nurse Specialists will now be collected annually at 30 September.

  The number of Nurse Consultants in post are shown in the following table.

  

Title/ Posts
NHS Board/ Division
In Post


Midwife Consultant – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow
2001


NC - Services for Older People – 1 WTE
NHS Forth Valley
vacant


NC-Public Health – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2001


NC Epidemiology – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2001


NC Paediatric Pain Management – 1 WTE
Yorkhill
2002


NC Perinatal Mental Illness – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2002


NC Acute Receiving – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2002


NC Cancer Care – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow
2002


NC Public Health – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2002


NC Family Planning & Sexual Health – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2002


NC People with Mental Health Difficulties – 1 WTE 
NHS Lothian 
vacant


NC Services for Older People - 1 WTE
NHS Highland 
2002


NC Forensic Rehabilitation Resettlement – 1 WTE 
State Hospital 
2002


MC managed/midwife led care – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2003


NC Health Protection – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2003


NC Infection Control – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2003


NC Learning Disabilities – 1 WTE
NHS Lothian 
2003


NC Macmillan Cancer Nurse Consultant – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside 
2003


NC Child Health – 1 WTE
NHS Borders
2003


NC Infection Control – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2003


NC Cancer/Palliative Care – 1 WTE
NHS Argyll & Clyde
2004 


NC Learning Disabilities – 1 WTE
NHS Greater Glasgow 
2004


NC Public Health – 1 WTE
Western Isles
2004


NC Epidemiology – 1 WTE
SCIEH
2004


NC Child protection – 1 WTE
NHS Tayside
2004


NC Learning Disabilities – 1 WTE
NHS Highland 
2004


Total (24 WTE)
24



  Notes:

  (SCIEH – Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health).

  (NC – Nurse Consultant).

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6991 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 March 2004, how much has been spent on NHS locum staff in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: The total cost of locum hospital and community medical and dental staff employed by NHSScotland in each NHS board is presented in the attached tables overleaf for the full years ending 31 March 1999 to 2004. Information by specialty is not available.

  The term "NHS Locum" is used in relation to medical and dental staff only.

  Paybill for Locum medical and dental staff by NHS Board and Grade

  Total Cost at end of Financial Year

  

Health Board
2003-04
2002-03
2001-02
2000-01
1999-2000


Scotland
19,112,946.1
17,431,709.5
17,990,706.8
15,677,271.7
13,164,089.6


Consultant
11,166,989.2
9,980,518.4
10,215,684.7
8,870,888.2
7,065,637.0


Other
7,945,956.9
7,451,191.1
7,775,022.1
6,806,383.5
6,098,452.6


NHS Argyll and Clyde
1,222,928.5
1,039,937.7
1,236,557.5
732,582.6
853,331.6


Consultant
932,438.4
696,750.9
856,430.4
479,220.7
566,694.1


Other
290,490.1
343,186.8
380,127.1
253,361.9
286,637.5


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
1,083,595.4
975,894.9
852,377.2
726,120.4
900,374.9


Consultant 
552,052.8
443,787.9
300,626.1
275,049.1
436,249.0


Other
531,542.6
532,107.0
551,751.1
451,071.2
464,125.9


NHS Borders
123,301.1
178,419.4
239,213.6
263,812.5
183,091.6


Consultant 
38,295.3
96,179.5
64,741.3
168,981.1
109,120.2


Other
85,005.8
82,239.9
174,472.3
94,831.4
73,971.4


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
396,568.2
427,553.2
453,995.9
360,976.0
542,178.4


Consultant 
178,701.9
264,908.9
250,647.0
218,181.3
411,511.4


Other
217,866.3
162,644.3
203,348.9
142,794.7
130,667.0


NHS Fife
1,374,344.4
1,394,264.8
994,731.7
1,001,988.9
695,087.4


Consultant 
1,048,054.1
1,047,571.1
694,887.8
518,671.5
229,199.7


Other
326,290.2
346,693.7
299,843.8
483,317.4
465,887.6


NHS Forth Valley
856,991.1
737,495.4
870,110.6
840,457.5
662,439.8


Consultant 
546,639.4
526,339.5
719,689.2
689,081.8
488,701.3


Other
310,351.7
211,155.9
150,421.4
151,375.6
173,738.5


NHS Grampian
2,288,733.2
2,157,316.8
1,359,152.5
1,574,418.4
990,934.4


Consultant
801,735.8
827,394.8
569,763.9
864,418.0
367,324.7


Other
1,486,997.4
1,329,922.0
789,388.6
710,000.3
623,609.7


NHS Greater Glasgow
3,170,829.0
2,617,390.7
3,374,232.8
2,540,806.0
1,790,420.2


Consultant 
1,818,638.1
1,484,985.1
2,067,998.9
1,555,037.4
1,033,927.9


Other
1,352,191.0
1,132,405.6
1,306,233.9
985,768.5
756,492.3


NHS Highland
910,614.6
749,757.2
1,205,362.0
1,036,725.2
546,649.9


Consultant 
544,684.9
450,673.2
729,104.9
578,913.4
373,976.4


Other
365,929.8
299,083.9
476,257.0
457,811.8
172,673.5


NHS Lanarkshire
2,755,869.1
2,337,189.6
2,226,408.5
1,897,763.2
2,232,720.3


Consultant 
1,938,969.9
1,532,814.8
1,444,237.8
1,341,366.3
1,354,288.2


Other
816,899.1
804,374.8
782,170.7
556,396.9
878,432.1


NHS Lothian
3,759,871.7
3,622,559.6
3,481,248.7
3,237,848.1
2,344,508.6


Consultant
1,998,883.8
1,812,643.1
1,578,976.7
1,389,889.9
921,770.0


Other
1,760,987.9
1,809,916.4
1,902,271.9
1,847,958.2
1,422,738.7


NHS Orkney
31,831.9
47,447.2
32,461.3
12,112.0
28,543.0


Consultant 
29,303.6
47,447.2
32,137.4
12,112.0
28,543.0


Other
2,528.2
-
323.9
-
-


NHS Shetland
48,967.1
 
92,731.0
74,485.6
57,029.4


Consultant 
48,967.1
 
92,731.0
74,485.6
54,955.8


Other
 
 
 
 
2,073.6


State Hospital
92,991.9
65,150.7
24,882.6
 
 


Consultant 
92,991.9
51,523.1
24,882.6
-
 


Other
 
13,627.5
 
-
 


NHS Tayside
846,369.7
765,722.9
1,121,054.0
975,929.5
972,510.2


Consultant
477,149.7
439,971.8
460,988.6
488,256.1
520,487.5


Other
369,220.0
325,751.1
660,065.4
487,673.4
452,022.7


NHS Western Isles
149,139.3
315,609.6
395,312.3
282,060.3
237,532.5


Consultant 
119,482.4
257,527.6
327,841.1
212,021.3
159,123.6


Other
29,656.9
58,082.0
67,471.2
70,039.0
78,408.9


Special Health Boards
 
 
30,874.8
119185.79
126737.60


Consultant
-
-
-
5202.55
9764.44


Other
-
-
30874.78
113983.24
116973.16



  Note: 1. Other consists of all other directly employed hospital and community medical and dental locum staff

NHS Staff

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for the recruitment of overseas nurses and doctors by the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: Recruitment of overseas doctors and nurses in Scotland has historically been undertaken by NHSScotland boards who have developed their own recruitment arrangements.

  The Executive is reviewing and exploring a range of methods which will access appropriate staff in an ethical and efficient manner. This will include maximising opportunities for those internationally qualified professionals who are already in Scotland and interested in pursuing a career in the NHSScotland.

NHS Staff

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the information on the performance of consultants suggested by the member for Argyll and Bute in the debate on health services on 30 September 2004 ( Official Report col. 10792).

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no plans at present to provide information on the performance of consultants. However, the Health Department is about to embark on a stream of work on workforce productivity and this is one of the many issues that will be considered under that agenda.

  Under the new consultant contract which came into effect on 1 April 2004 NHS managers will be able to explicitly and more effectively manage consultant activity in order to secure the capacity they require to improve services to patients. Managers will agree with consultants exactly how they fill their working week with programming of all activities, thus maximising direct clinical care and more transparent flexible working patterns. This will allow the working week and on-call responsibilities to be systematically managed and there will be extended opportunity for patient access (elective services) at evenings and weekends. The new contract should also lead to improved consultant performance measures and benchmarks and clearer rules for managing links to private work.

Police

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available within police offices to inform and assist persons who wish to make a complaint against a police officer or officers.

Cathy Jamieson: Copies of a Scottish Executive leaflet entitled Complaints against the Police are routinely sent to police forces and should be available at every police office in Scotland. The leaflet, which is offered in community languages, is also freely available either by contacting the Scottish Executive, or at the following link, www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/capl-00.asp . Additional materials provided locally by forces give further details.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of prescription items not dispensed that would have attracted a prescription charge.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-11146, answered on 25 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  We do not know how many prescription items are not dispensed. If we did, we still would not know how many of those items would attract a charge because patients must endorse the back of the prescription form to make a declaration of exemption, or state that they have paid for their prescription. This is done when the prescription is presented for dispensing.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to exempt mental health patients subject to medical treatment under compulsory treatment orders provided for by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 from prescription charges.

Mr Andy Kerr: Compulsory treatment orders may be made following commencement of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act in April 2005. The majority of patients who become subject to a Compulsory Treatment Order (CTO) will be detained in hospital and will receive their medication free of charge from that hospital. The 2003 act also makes provision that a patient on a CTO may live in the community and we expect a small number of such orders to be made. We estimate that at most 150 patients may be subject to a community based CTO at any time.

  There are no plans at present to exempt from prescription charges patients who receive treatment on the basis of a compulsory treatment order whether in hospital or in the community. However, the Executive’s Partnership Agreement review of NHS prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training is now under way and as part of the review process, we will be consulting widely with patient, interest groups, NHS professionals and other key stakeholders. All the interests and concerns expressed, including those of patients subject to medical treatment under compulsory treatment orders, will be taken into account. The consultation phase of the review will begin in May 2005.

Public Defence Solicitors' Office

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, accused persons qualifying for legal aid have been referred to the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office in each year since it opened; whether there are any plans for public defence solicitors to be paid on a case-by-case basis and, if so, when this will happen.

Hugh Henry: For the purposes of the independent evaluation submitted to Parliament in September 2001, all persons eligible for criminal legal aid prosecuted in the Edinburgh courts between October 1998 and June 2000, and born in the months of January or February, were directed to use the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO), subject to a system of waivers, primarily relating to clients with current related cases being dealt with by other solicitors. The number of cases taken on for clients directed to the PDSO in Edinburgh in each of the three financial years or part year during which direction operated were 305, 856 and 185 (in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 respectively). No clients have been directed to the PDSO since the system of direction was abolished in July 2000.

  The following table shows the total number of new cases taken on by the PDSO (whether or not under direction) in each year since it opened and the percentage this represents of the total number of acts of criminal legal assistance in each of those years. Criminal legal assistance includes grants of advice and assistance, assistance by way of representation, summary criminal legal aid and solemn legal aid, as well as clients represented by duty solicitors.

  

 
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Number of new PDSO cases*
417
1,034
1,456*
1,684*
1,538*
1,464*


Number of acts of criminal legal assistance
222,348
245,844
260,367
270,162
271,769
278,151


PDSO cases as % of acts of assistance
0.2%
0.4%
0.6%
0.6%
0.6%
0.5%



  Note: *These figures include cases in which the PDSO acted as duty solicitor on behalf of other solicitors. They therefore differ from those published in the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s annual reports. The PDSO only acted as duty solicitor from July 2000 onwards.

  There are no plans for public defence solicitors to be paid on a case-by-case basis.

Public Sector

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on relocating public sector jobs to Scotland’s more rural and remote areas.

Tavish Scott: We have made good progress. I am pleased to announce that we will relocate two Scottish Executive functions – the Crofting Building Grants and Loans Scheme (CBGLS) and the Central Enquiry Unit (CEU).

  The small unit administering the Crofting Building Grants and Loans Scheme will relocate to Tiree next summer. This is a small unit comprising eight full-time jobs. Tiree was chosen after an extensive scrutiny of 34 possible locations which concluded that a move to Tiree would deliver the greatest benefits.

  The Scottish Executive’s Central Enquiry Unit will relocate to Kinlochleven, with the move scheduled for the middle of 2005. The Central Enquiry Unit is the Executive’s front door. It is the central point of contact for the Executive providing a switchboard service for telephone and e-mail enquiries. The CEU is currently based in Edinburgh and employs 9.5 staff.

  The Executive is committed to our relocation policy and to ensuring it is a policy for the whole of Scotland. Both these small unit relocations represent a significant step forward in the Executive’s programme for moving public sector job opportunities across rural Scotland, and it is expected that these small numbers of additional jobs will make a significant difference to the social and economic conditions of both Tiree and Kinlochleven.

Public Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific role it envisages for Strathclyde Passenger Transport in relation to (a) rail services and (b) other transport functions.

Nicol Stephen: The Transport Bill I presented to Parliament on 27 October 2004 put forward legislative proposals to give effect to the plans for the future of Strathclyde Passenger Transport that were set out in paragraph 5.22 of the White Paper Scotland’s Transport Future , copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33072).

Quality of Life

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to local authorities under the quality of life fund in each of the last two years.

Mr Tom McCabe: Under the Quality of Life fund £95 million was allocated to local authorities in 2002-03 and £50 million in 2003-04.

Quality of Life

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how funding, allocated under the quality of life fund, was spent by each local authority in each of the last two years.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local athorities were allocated funding under the Quality of Life to spend under two themes – Improving Opportunities for Children and Young People and Improving the Local Environment . Funding was allocated on a flexible basis where councils took decisions locally on the most appropriate levels of spending under the themes. Local authorities have provided detailed expenditure plans for the two financial years 2002-03 and 2003-04. These are given in the tables entitled Quality of Life Funding 2002-03 and 2003-04 , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34264).

Rail Network

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6289 by Nicol Stephen on 7 April 2004, how many of the 69 stations were (a) opened and (b) reopened in each year since 1970.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive.

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10174 by Nicol Stephen on 27 September 2004, what information it has on what proportion of Network Rail’s spending will go towards the rail network in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The cost of operating, maintaining and renewing the railway infrastructure is an operational matter for Network Rail.

  The Office of the Rail Regulator determines Network Rail’s expenditure on a GB basis. Network Rail’s Business Plan contains information on planned expenditure across each of the 26 Network Rail strategic routes which make up the GB rail network.

  The information requested is not held by the Executive, but significant work will be carried out on this issue in the context of the rail review proposals to devolve further rail powers in Scotland.

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of track access charges the ScotRail franchise will be required to pay in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07, (d) 2007-08 and (e) 2008-09.

Nicol Stephen: The level of fixed track access charges for the ScotRail franchise is set out in the table below.

  

2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


£60,600,000
£60,600,000
£125,100,000
£123,800,000
£134,700,000



  The information is provided from Annex E of the Office of the Rail Regulator’s Access Charge Review 2003: Regulator’s approval of Network’s Rail proposed financing arrangements.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9867 by Lewis Macdonald on 30 August 2004, whether it provides any funding directly or indirectly to members of staff of the Scottish Renewables Forum and, if so, how much funding per annum.

Mr Jim Wallace: No.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any studies into the potential for biomass energy within Scotland and potential economic and environmental benefits that could be derived as a result of using biomass energy production.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland has been tasked with preparing proposals for the development of biomass energy in Scotland, with particular reference to the use of wood fuel. The Group is considering both the potential for the sector and the economic and environmental benefits that might accrue. I expect that its report will be published before the end of the year.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish targets for heat and fuel sourced by renewable energy.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no immediate plans to do so. The Executive will, however, work with UK colleagues in considering the contribution that biomass heat can make to the renewables agenda.

Research

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for delay in the Intermediary Technology Institutes becoming operational and what costs have been incurred for each institute.

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding promised for each Intermediary Technology Institute has been allocated in each year since such funding was announced and whether such funding will be allocated for each of the next three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on the construction and improvement of motorways and trunk roads in each of the last 10 years.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in table number 11.1 of Scottish Transport Statistics No 23: 2004 Edition  which is available on the Scottish Executive’s website at;

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/360/00360a-38.asp.

Rural Development

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was (a) available, (b) allocated and (c) spent under the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund in 2003-04.

Lewis Macdonald: For the financial year 2003-04, £3.123 million was made available to the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. Of this, £1.741 million was awarded to support successful applicants to the 2003-2004 round, while £1.382 million was allocated to meet funding commitments to previous years’ applicants.

  From the funds available for the 2003-04 financial year, new and previous applicants accessed £2.186 million

Scottish Executive Accommodation

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many conference and meeting rooms there are in (a) Bute House, (b) Victoria Quay and (c) St Andrew’s House.

Mr Tom McCabe: Details of the number of conference and meeting rooms in Bute House, Victoria Quay and St Andrews House are set out below.

  Bute House: The Cabinet room which seats 18 people.

  Victoria Quay: A suite of 12 conference rooms, seating between 15 and 100 people. 64 meeting rooms seating between six and 16 people.

  St Andrew’s House: A suite of six conference rooms seating between six and 16 people (or up to 40 people when adjacent rooms are combined). Two Media Rooms seating up to 40 and 100 people in theatre style only. Nine meeting rooms seating between six and 16 people.

Scottish Executive Announcements

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its press conferences have taken place in (a) Bute House, (b) Victoria Quay and (c) St Andrew’s House since 1 September 2004.

Mr Tom McCabe: As at the 28 October 2004, the position was as follows:

  (a) Bute House, 0

  (b) Victoria Quay, 0

  (c) St Andrew’s House, 1.

Scottish Executive Announcements

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many briefings by its official spokespersons have taken place in (a) Bute House, (b) Victoria Quay and (c) St Andrew’s House since 1 September 2004.

Mr Tom McCabe: As at 28 October 2004, the position was as follows:

  (a) Bute House, 0

  (b) Victoria Quay, 0

  (c) St Andrew’s House, 8.

Scottish Executive Legislation

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concordats have been amended since 1999, showing changes made in each case.

Ms Margaret Curran: The following concordats have been the subject of minor updating since 1999:

  

Department for Transport (formerly Concordat with Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
Originated in March 2004
This concordat was substantially based on the original concordat with DTLR, updating with drafting amendments to reflect the split of responsibilities to the Department for Transport and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.


Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (formerly Concordat with Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions)
Originated in March 2003
This concordat was substantially based on the original concordat with DTLR, updating with drafting amendments to reflect the split of responsibilities to the Department for Transport and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.


Department for Work and Pensions
Last Updated in June 2004
This concordat was updated to reflect changes in titles of the names of the Scottish Executive teams together with minor drafting amendments. 



  The nature of concordats is such that they should not require frequent or significant amendment. They are, however, expected to be reviewed from time to time.

  All concordats including any previous versions are lodged with Parliaments Information Centre.

Scottish Executive Legislation

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concordats are currently being renegotiated with Her Majesty’s Government, giving details in each case.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are currently reviewing the concordat with the Lord Chancellor’s Department to reflect the change of name from Lord Chancellor’s Department to Department for Constitutional Affairs and add a new annex setting out arrangements for dealing with freedom of information requests relating to UK public records which have been transferred to the Keeper of the Records of Scotland.

Scottish Executive Staff

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff were based at Parliamentary Headquarters, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, prior to migration to Holyrood.

Mr Tom McCabe: There were 10 Scottish Executive permanent staff based at Parliamentary Headquarters, George IV Bridge before moving to Holyrood. There are also five Scottish Executive staff on secondment to the Scottish Parliament who were based and continue to be based at Parliamentary Headquarters.

Scottish Executive Staff

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff are based at Holyrood.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are a total of ten permanent Scottish Executive Staff based at Holyrood.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of producing its video news release for the opening of the Parliament.

Mr Tom McCabe: The cost of producing the Video News Release was £11,275. An additional cost of £3,000 was spent on other related work such as project management, production and editing.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation it commissioned to produce a video news release for the opening of the Parliament.

Mr Tom McCabe: The video news release was produced by Press Association’s Television News Release Unit (TNR) and commissioned via RED which is part of the Executive PR agency, Citigate SMART.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which news outlets received its video news release for the opening of the Parliament.

Mr Tom McCabe: Details of the video news release (VNR) were sent to 759 broadcasters in UK, Europe, Americas, Canada, Middle East, Asia and Australia and 30 copies of the tape were sent out.

  The film is also being sent to Embassies around the world for usage.

  Previous research has highlighted the relatively low level of awareness of modern Scotland amongst overseas media. The VNR is part of a two pronged approach to address this issue by: providing at relatively low cost footage of many aspects of modern Scotland which can be used by media, Scottish Executive and Embassies and; organising a series of targeted press visits for members of key international media – tailored itineraries to showcase aspects of modern Scotland and secure greater profile – of the right sort – in the international media.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to produce a video news release for the opening of the Scottish Parliament was taken by the Cabinet and, if it was not a Cabinet decision, which minister was responsible for taking the decision.

Mr Tom McCabe: The decision to produce the video news release was taken by the then Minister of Finance and Public Services and the First Minister.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions took place with the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body before the decision was taken by the Executive to produce its video news release for the opening of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body was not involved: discussions were between the Scottish Executive and the Parliamentary Press Team.

Scottish Parliament

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body agreed to grant permission to the Executive to film within Holyrood for the purpose of producing a video news release for the opening of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Tom McCabe: Permission was given by the Press Team at the Parliament for filming both within and outside the Scottish Parliament building. Film of the Parliament accounts for around one minute of the 11 and a half minute running time for the video news release.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Funds

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to retain any monies from the Scottish Transport Group Pension Funds Surplus allocated for ex gratia payments after any proposed deadline date for submission of claims and, if so, (a) how much will be retained, (b) how long it will be retained and (c) what will become of the monies if no additional claims are forthcoming.

Tavish Scott: While we are anxious to bring this matter to a conclusion we remain concerned to protect, as far as is reasonable, the position of those, perhaps abroad, who have not yet claimed. £250,000 will therefore be retained to cover later justified claims. This sum will be retained for as long as is reasonable to allow valid claims to be met. No conclusion has yet been reached about what will happen to any unclaimed funds thereafter.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Funds

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-5036 and S2W-6363 by Nicol Stephen on 5 February and 9 March 2004 respectively, how much has now been paid out in ex gratia payments to (a) former members and (b) dependants of former members of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes and how is this broken down in terms of numbers of claimants from each group.

Tavish Scott: To date the figures are as follows:

  

 
Paid
Not Yet Claimed
Approx. Amount


Members
11,098
379
£113,730,000


Dependents
933
243
£8,090,000


Total
12,031
622
£121,820,000



  To date £121.82 million has been paid leaving a balance of £4.18 million still to be paid.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1153 by Ross Finnie on 4 August 2003, what the results were of Scottish Water’s comprehensive evaluation of the impact and scale of leakage on the water network, broken down by area.

Lewis Macdonald: I have asked Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, to reply. His response is as follows:

  Improving leakage rates on the public water network is a long-term objective of Scottish Water and our evaluation of leakage on the network continues to be ongoing. A large part of Scottish Water’s focus to date has been to establish District Metered Areas (DMAs) and during the current investment period (2002-06) DMAs are being set up on 60% of the water network. These DMAs support the development of area-specific leakage strategies, which can involve identifying and fixing leaks as well as installing pressure management systems to reduce the amount of water lost.

  The establishment of DMAs is being prioritised in areas where leakage is high as well as areas known to have a supply-demand deficit. Areas where we are establishing DMAs include Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverness, Fife, Dundee, and Edinburgh. New corporate systems are being developed in parallel that will allow cost and leakage performance data to be captured and analysed. For each area this analysis of level of leakage and operational costs enables the determination of the economic level of leakage which will in future be used to prioritise investment in leakage reduction.

Sensory-Impaired People

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the implementation of recommendations contained in the Sensory Impairment Action Plan, launched in January 2004, relevant to people with visual impairment and how such progress is being monitored.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is working closely with Deafblind Scotland, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Scottish Council in Deafness in taking forward the recommendations within the Sensory Impairment Action Plan. Good progress is being made and is being monitored by a Steering Group.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether legal advice given to parliamentary committees can now be made public, or will be made public, under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Robert Brown (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The release of legal advice given to a committee is a matter for that committee. Legal advice falls within an exemption under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and requests for disclosure of such advice will be considered accordingly.